Kevin Bemel ·
You Can Be as Resilient as the Greatest Generation
Recently I read Amity Shlaes wonderful book about the Great Depression The Forgotten Man. While I was generally familiar with this time in history, the book reminded me of the suffering people endured for almost a decade. I came away as impressed with the Greatest Generation’s ability to cope with the 1930s as I was at their winning World War II.
People who lived during this time had a very pragmatic view of life. Their expectations were few and in many cases negative: l can expect life to kick me in the teeth especially when I am down and I can rely only on my family and myself. Failure was taken in stride. It only meant starting over again.
The internal dialog they had was as simple as it was time-tested: G-d willing I will overcome. While some political groups criticized religion as an opiate, for most people it was comforting.
Finally, life was uncluttered. The typical person had a family, worked as much as he or she could, and sought out simple entertainments. A radio, a stroll in the park, an ice cream cone, all of these made for a delightful day.
Small wonder then that out of this generation came the modern infrastructure from which subsequent generations launched their successes.
Many lessons are yours for the taking:
- Strive for great things but have minimal expectations.
- Failure only necessitates beginning again. The only way to be a failure is to jump out of the window.
- Have a basic mantra to carry you though difficult times. “G-d willing I will overcome” is good. If you do not believe in G-d, simply leave that part out. Be sure you say it with conviction, as if your life depended on your knowing you will prevail. That is why it helped people through the depression.
- Discard the jumble in your life. If it is not being used and cannot be properly stored for future use, toss it out.
- Similarly, get rid of the clutter in your schedule. Make sure it is consistent with your priorities. Learn to say no, especially to a request that will not help you meet your goals. Ask yourself, “How much time do I really have left after taking care of my family, working, and enjoying a few simple entertainments.”
- Indulge in life’s simple pleasures: listen to some music (you know I think swing and big band are the best), go for a stroll in the park or on the beach, eat an ice cream cone, or if you are daring, a banana split with whipped cream and a cherry.
You can achieve the resilience of the Greatest Generation. Like most worthwhile things in life, intentionality and self-discipline are the keys.
Question – How would you simplify your life?
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